Aerobic granule was successfully cultivated in SBR (sequencing batch reactor) by struvite carrier (magnesium ammonium phosphate, MgNH(4)PO(4)), which can increase polysaccharides to 42.2 mg/gMLVSS (mixed liquor volatile suspended solid) versus only 28.4 mg/gMLVSS of the sludge without it. Meanwhile, it was found that struvite play a positive role in initial granulation and bacterial group distribution in treating pharmaceutical wastewater, involving effect of solid surface and special contents of struvite. The results of fluorescence in situ hybridization technique indicate that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria can dominate over nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in mature granules. COD removal efficiency of 90 % and NO(2) (-)-N:(NO(2) (-)-N + NO(3) (-)-N) accumulation efficiency of 89 % were achieved in stable state. Emphasis is placed on that struvite addition can be applied as a new-type carrier to promote formation of partial nitrification granular sludge.